Dog owner feels sorry for hook attacker

A WOMAN whose dog swallowed a piece of meat baited with a fish hook says she feels pity for the culprit.

Trish Langford, a dog trainer, took her dogs Lucy and Mr Pip for a walk on Saturday morning in Melbourne's Lakes Reserve at Newport where Lucy ate a piece of the tainted meat near dog watering bowls in an off-leash area.

The golden retriever was rushed to the vet, who operated and removed a one-centimetre fish hook from her stomach, which had showed up in an x-ray.

"I just feel sorry for them, I really do," Ms Langford said.

"I don't want to get into the head of someone that would do this.

"It's just very sad that they don't have anything in their lives that they would think that this is a good idea," she said.

From now on Lucy and Mr Pip would wear muzzles to the park, Ms Langford said.

She urged other dog owners to consider using muzzles if they were worried, although she said it's the first time an incident like this has happened in the park.

Senior Constable Paul Davis said there had been several reports of meat laden with fish hooks in the park on Friday and Saturday.

"Police are going to investigate this thoroughly," he said.

"It's obviously preying on a vulnerable creature.

"That's why we are taking this very seriously and we want to speak to the people involved.